VOLUNTEERING INFRASTRUCTURE

7. Regular and systematic researchData related to volunteering is not measured systematically and regularly. Some scatteredstudies are available in the field of volunteering that has been carried out recently, mainly in theyouth policy area. The added value (economic or any other kind) of volunteers is not measuredsystematically either. In 2011 the study on development possibilities of volunteer work in Latviaand its contribution to Latvian economy was carried out 19 .The aim of the study was to obtain data and carry out comprehensive analyses of situation of thevolunteer work in Latvia – to analyse social demographic and value profile of active volunteers,to identify obstacles for wider popularity of volunteer work in society overall, to assessawareness of volunteer work, as well as to study interest and willingness to volunteer. Withinthe study economic calculations were carried out on contribution of volunteer work to economyoverall, calculating its contribution to gross domestic product.Overall, in 2010 the Latvian voluntary work monetary value was 82,558 million LVL (117,470million EUR), which represented about 0.65% of Latvia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). About435,000 Latvian residents spent at least one hour for volunteering and they all together workedon a voluntary basis nearly 33 million hours.The most significant volunteering contribution to the Latvian economy in monetary terms hasbeen in the form of professional assistance (15.314 million LVL) and the elderly, disabled andchild care (11.184 million LVL) areas, as well as education (9.612 million LVL).The organisation “brīvprātīgais.lv” also carried out qualitative study on policy and practiceof voluntary work in municipalities in all five regions of Latvia in 2011. Some findings ofthe study revealed that, although at the local government and NGO level, the importance ofvolunteering is recognised, there is a lack of a deeper understanding of the volunteer status,role, motivation and opportunities to support the volunteer work by the municipalities. Thepotential of volunteering in local government and organisations is not sufficiently used, withone of the reasons being the fact that organised and comprehensive volunteering system doesnot exist. Ambiguous legal options for (local) government structures to attract adult volunteerssignificantly impede development of the voluntary work.There also remains confusion given by the fact that there is no institution that could providespecific and competent answers for volunteering legal organisation and other related matters;and this confusion is responsible for volunteering issues at the national level.19. Laboratory of Analytical and Strategic Study Ltd, 2011, Study on development possibilities of volunteer work in Latvia and its contribution toLatvian economy, Availabe at: http://izm.izm.gov.lv/upload_file/petijumi/IZM_BrivpratigaisDarbs_Zinojums_Laboratory_07.2011_ENG.pdf236 Volunteering infrastructure in Europe 16 Latvia